Samsung has an idea that will make it a lot easier to use a smartwatch

Samsung has patented a unique-looking smartwatch featuring a dynamic display that could flip up to face you.

According to the patent, which was filed back in December 2014 but published by the US Patent and Trademark Office on July 23, this unique display wakes up once you activate your smartwatch using either “a gesture recognised by a motion sensor, a voice command recognised by a microphone, [or] a command input by a key button.”

Once the smartwatch is activated, its display positions itself based on the location of your face — so it can literally come up to greet you. The patent says the display can tilt anywhere from 20 to 90 degrees away from the main body of the watch.

It sounds like you can adjust the display solely using voice commands. The patent actually suggests “screaming out ‘Display!'” to bring the display of the smartwatch within the user’s line of sight, and shouting another voice command, like “To the original position!”, to restore the display to the original position.

This kind of dynamic display could be helpful for video calls on your smartwatch, or any kind of activity where you might be raising your arm for a while. Even in regular use, being able to see a watch’s display without craning your neck or flicking your wrist seems fun, novel, and even practical, given the right applications.

Smartwatches work best when you use them in short bursts, but some apps require you to look at the screen for extended periods of time, which could tire your arm out. Samsung’s idea could help solve that problem.

Samsung clearly likes to experiment with smartwatch designs. The company has released six different smartwatch models over the last two years, with a new model rumoured to be unveiled on August 13.

Check out the full patent for Samsung’s smartwatch with the changeable display here. We first saw this patent mentioned over at Patently Mobile.